The World Health Organisation says Nigeria, alongside six other African nations, account for about 90 per cent of reported cholera cases and deaths.
The organisation said in a statement on Tuesday that 47 countries reported cholera cases and deaths in 2025, although the figures represent surveillance data and underestimate the actual global burden.
Cholera deaths rose by 30 per cent in 2025, reaching 7,870, the highest annual death toll recorded since 1999, despite 451,499 cases reported to the WHO.
“Seven countries — Angola, Bangladesh, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, South Sudan, Sudan and Yemen — accounted for about 90 per cent of reported cases and deaths.
“The WHO African Region recorded the largest burden, with cases increasing by 34 per cent and deaths rising by 58 per cent compared with 2024,” it said.
The WHO Executive Director, Health Emergencies Programme, Dr Chikwe Ihekweazu, said the increase highlighted the need for targeted investments in safe water, sanitation and hygiene.
He said stronger surveillance, community engagement, vaccination and access to quality healthcare could help reverse the rising trend and prevent avoidable cholera deaths.
According to him, cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease caused by Vibrio cholerae bacteria and spreads through food and water contaminated with faeces, particularly where sanitation is inadequate.
He said that cholera remained preventable and treatable, but severe dehydration can become fatal when patients do not receive prompt treatment.
“More than one in five reported cholera deaths occurred outside health facilities, while the fatality rate among patients treated in facilities remained below one per cent globally.
“However, 12 countries recorded facility-based cholera fatality rates above one per cent in 2025, indicating continuing gaps in timely and effective treatment.”
Ihekweazu said that global oral cholera vaccine production more than doubled from about 30 million doses in 2022 to approximately 80 million annually in 2025.
According to him, the International Coordinating Group approved 71 million vaccine doses for affected countries in 2025, including 20 million for preventive vaccination, which resumed after more than three years.
He noted that 24 of 26 countries in Africa’s meningitis belt reported 21,526 suspected cases and 971 deaths in 2025, representing a 4.5 per cent fatality rate.
The WHO boss said meningitis cases declined by 5.9 per cent among countries reporting data for both 2024 and 2025, with vaccination contributing to progress against meningococcal disease.
“Since the introduction of the meningococcal A conjugate vaccine in 2010, serogroup A cases have fallen by more than 99 per cent among vaccinated populations.
“A five-serogroup meningococcal vaccine, Men5CV/MMCV, is now being introduced for outbreak response and preventive campaigns, with Niger conducting the first nationwide campaign in 2025,” Ihekweazu said.
Speaking on plague, he said that 10 countries reported suspected human cases between 2019 and 2025, with six reporting confirmed infections during the period.
“A total of 3,847 suspected plague cases and 423 deaths were reported, representing an 11 per cent case fatality rate, with most cases from Congo and Madagascar,” he said.
He noted that WHO would continue surveillance of rodents and other animal populations, alongside rapid outbreak response, which remains essential to detect plague early and prevent wider transmission.